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Lucent Copper stands on a balcony near the top of the Manse, feeling the sun. An ornate cover colored golden and cobalt blue is on the ground, where he knelt to pray. To his side, a number of books... opened on the Realm, on the East, on the South. History, Geography...
Thirteen A shadow falls over Lucent as he kneels.
Lucent Copper "You are lucky I have just finished." He says, turning around... and even less pleased when he does. "Just what do /you/ want?"
Thirteen seems unusually uncomfortable. It's unusual for him to visibly display much emotion at all, but it's especially unexpected for it to be discomfort.
Thirteen "I would speak with you about my actions today, Lucent Copper Haze."
Lucent Copper "Answer me. Or did you get mute now, too?" Essence pours to the gems on his shoulders, many different flavors of essence that Thirteen can feel... and then, they are gone. "You... would?" Lucent looks at him, puzzled. That was... unexpected. "Well, then... talk?"
Thirteen 's leisurely held spear comes to attention slightly at the motion of Essence, but then slackens again.
Thirteen "The Kashaen are your people. I would neither accept nor allow a violent action from a friend towards the people I claim as my own; it is thus unreasonable and unkind of me to offer such an action towards yours."
Thirteen "I must apologize for striking your lieutenant without your permission."
Lucent Copper blinks. Once. Twice. The wind that high up moves bangs of brown hair on his face, and he takes a moment to take them off... "Well... um... apologies... accepted?"
Lucent Copper "This is really unlike you, Thirteen."
Lucent Copper "Or did I just get a wrong first impression?"
Thirteen quirks his mouth in a smile. "We have known each other for two days. Even the others of the Circle have yet to spend a fortnight with me."
Thirteen "It is too early to assert you know what is like me. And in fairness, it is difficult for me as well to adjust to the realities of living as a god surrounded by other gods."
Thirteen "We must all learn to accept our allies as they are. We are that way for a reason, after all."
Lucent Copper chuckles. "Yes... I suppose. I just had it in my mind I knew you, and you were a bastard. It is easier to think of people like this, I suppose. Thank you, Thirteen. And no need to apologize to my lieutenant - he did not mind the test. It is a warrior thing, I suppose."
Thirteen "Thank you, although I had not intended on it."
Lucent Copper walks up to the edge of the balcony, looking down on the walls of the garden... "What do you think of them, too? The Circle?"
Thirteen "They are my brothers and sisters."
Thirteen "They have obvious deficiencies, but even more obvious strengths."
Thirteen "Many of them are more or less reasonable."
Lucent Copper "Obvious deficiences? Like... what? They seemed pretty strong, I think. For this age."
Thirteen "Their capability to form and execute plans to achieve their aims is essentially nil."
Thirteen "They merely react to stimuli with force, as if the Sunlands were a mindless animal."
Thirteen "Had I not arrived, the Circle would undoubtedly have been destroyed sometime within the next five years, when the Lily discovered or obtained a reasonably capable tactician."
Lucent Copper moves his hand slowly... and into Thirteen's comfort zone, raising to the tip of his toes, tapping the Twilight symbol in Thirteen's forehead. "They had none like you, Thirteen."
Thirteen "That is precisely my point."
Thirteen "I am sure that you will also provide the Circle with capabilities it requires to survive and overcome its enemies."
Lucent Copper "There is a reason we have Five Castes. Why we need Fate, why we need our bodyguards, why we need our soldiers." He backs down, his gaze back at the garden, "Why we need faith. However, this says nothing of the individuals."
Thirteen "Otherwise you would not have come."
Thirteen "Please explain."
Lucent Copper "Oh, they seem to be neglecting the power of their subordinates, yes. Failing to empower them. Wishing to fight their enemies one against millions. They would fall. The Sunlands are not as well-organized as they should be, either." He sighs. "But this is not a war council. Cerin, Kai, Zahara... what do you think of them? As Exalted? As people?"
Thirteen "I respect them."
Thirteen "I am assured they have good reasons for being the way they are."
Thirteen "I hope that Birds-of-Trinity returns soon, as well. She contributed much to the Circle."
Thirteen "What do you think of them?"
Lucent Copper "I... am not sure. Zahara is nice. She is their leader, and she does a good job at that. She seems to be the most compassionate of them all, as well. Cerin... well, he does good paintings. But... he seems distant. Strange, to tell the truth. None of the other Chosen I had ever met had been... quite like him. And Kai.."
Lucent Copper ".. Kai is a welcome change. She seems to be the only one that did not forget how to be human. Even though... she kind of frightens me sometime. With the Lion motiffs. Being a Dawn. When I look at her, I think of the Lion, I think of my lands razed."
Thirteen "Mm."
Thirteen "Kai is a very kind girl."
Thirteen "She bears no love for the Lion."
Lucent Copper "Well, I am even younger. Age still matters with Chosen, but from the age we Exalted onwards. The 'Deathknight' I faced was decades my senior in mortal years. But no match to me in the command of essence."
Thirteen "Indeed, you have achieved surprising capabilities in a short period of time."
Lucent Copper "And you? How did you come upon the Circle, Thirteen? Everyone knows my story already..."
Thirteen "Mm."
Thirteen "I think this is a subject I would prefer to discuss indoors."
Lucent Copper "Very well." He says, clapping... and one of his servants is there, a lady of the Scorpion Guard, there to take the books and the cover. He is a born king - not twice he wonders of helping, as he strides into the Labyrinth. "Where would you prefer to talk about this?"
Thirteen "The War Room would do nicely."
Thirteen grasps a nearby servant by the arm as he says this, allowing the tattooed man to lead him through the maze.
Tags: (:tags Kashaen, First and Forsaken Lion :)
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